A New World
Dr. Avant Sezir stepped off the transports ramp onto the Pandoran
soil. He had been dreaming of coming here all his life. When he had
seen all the photo's and videos that had come back from Pandora, an
intense longing had filled his heart. He wanted to make a new life on
this pristine world. Also there was a chance for scientific study. The
indigenous population, the Na'vi were of much interest to biologists.
Something big was happening on Pandora and he had wanted to find out
what was going on.
That's when the Resource Development Administration, the RDA, had
found him. He had been working in Houston, Texas when, while at work
one day, he had been approached by two men in trench coats. They had
been very intimidating.
" Dr. Sezir?" one asked casually.
" Yes, that's me. How may I help you?"
" My colleague and I represent the RDA. We have been told to ask you if
you would like to be part of an expedition to Pandora. Would you?"
How could he have said no? After all, he had been waiting all his life
for this.
" Yes. Yes, I'm going."
" Good. That's very good. Report to Fort Briggs in Washington,
Pennsylvania, in three days. Also, I almost forgot to mention. You
will have a genetically grow Na'vi body for use on Pandora since it is
fatal for us, as humans, to breathe the atmosphere."
" You mean I get a new body?"
" Yes. It will start growing the moment the scientists at Ft. Briggs
get your DNA. The Na'vi body will take 6 years to mature. It will be
fully matured when you reach Pandora. They mature on the way out."
" This is for real right? You aren't being paid by someone I know?"
" No. This is for real. The RDA wants you because you are second to
Dr. Grace Augustine. We know you trained with her and are a man after
her own mind. She has also requested your presence."
" Really? Okay. Well, gentlemen. If that is all, it would appear I have
some packing and other business to attend to. How do I get into Ft.
Briggs?"
" Here is a photo identity card. Present this at the gate. They will
be expecting you."
" Thank you."
" Dr. Sezir, we will be in touch. Goodbye."
The two men turned and walked away from Avant. He could only wonder
how they had found him. Dr. Augustine had assured him that he had
completely vanished from all records.
He knew that if Grace had requested he come to Pandora something big
must be going on.
Three days later Avant found himself standing in the bio-lab of Ft.
Briggs. He was staring into an amino tank with an immature Na'vi in
it. His avatar. His new life resided behind the glass six years later.
" Amazing isn't it?" a voice said behind him.
Avant turned around to find himself staring at a man of middling
height with a short crew cut. He had a darker complexion than most
that gave him an heir of dignity and authority.
" Dr. James Monroe." the man said extending his hand toward Avant. "
And you are?"
" Dr. Avant Sezir."
" Ah. You are the assistant to Dr. Augustine. Read some of your books.
Most interesting. Certainly changed my viewpoint on many a thing."
" Thank you. I never thought though that my books would change
someone. They were just my opinions. But I guess they were good ones.
At least good enough to change viewpoints."
" So, what do you think of your Avatar?"
" It is amazing. I can't wait to link up for the first time."
" Yeah. From what Grace has told me it's amazing."
" Are you coming with us?"
" Yes. I am. My Avatar has already been shipped up to the ISV in
orbit. Yours is next. In fact, here they come now which means we need
to be heading out to the transport. Once that's loaded we are off to
Pandora."
Two men came in with, what looked like to Avant, dollies that had huge
casings that held the amino tank in place.
After the men had loaded the amino tank on the dollies, Avant and
Monroe followed them down the long corridor to the transport.
They loaded the tank then called for passengers to climb aboard. Once
all the passengers were loaded onto the transport, it lifted off of
the tarmac and pointed itself skyward toward the ISV Venture Star.
After docking, the transport disgorged its passengers and cargo into
the ISV. Avant and Monroe went to check on the Avatars before heading
to the cryovault.
The cryovault consisted of one hundred vaults, or sleeping chambers.
All but one pod was closed when they arrived.
" If you gentlemen will get in your chambers, we can be on our way." a
cryo technician said.
" Okay. Okay. We are going." Monroe said. " See you in six."
" Yeah." Avant said." See you then."
Upon arriving in orbit around Pandora, the passengers were woken from
their drug-induced sleep. Avant and Monroe went to the science lab
immediately to check on their Avatars. The Avatars had grown to full
maturity on their trip. The passengers and Avatars were loaded onto
the transport and ferried down to the ground.
Avant looked around taking in the scene. He was at Hells Gate, the
main RDA facility. It housed all the personnel ranging from scientists
to retired military forces.
" Watch it. Watch it. It's going to go." a voice yelled from behind him.
He turned only to find a gurney being wheeled down the ramp
uncontrollably with his avatar on it. The gurney hit a bump and
overturned. His avatar went flying only to land on it's shoulder.
' That's going to be sore later,' he thought as he walked over to help.
" You guys have to be careful. That avatar is worth 20 million dollars
so be careful. If you kill it you are paying the full cost out of
pocket."
The men righted the gurney and replaced the avatar on top. They
wheeled it away from Avant and into the science lab.
" Long time no see Avant. It's been a long time since Houston."
Avant turned to find himself standing face to face with a nine and a
half foot Avatar. There was something familiar yet foreign about this
person. Then he placed her.
" Grace? Is that you?" he asked.
" No. It's the science guild. Of course it's me. It's good to see
again Avant."
" Its good to see you too, Grace. Did you actually request my presence
here?"
" Yeah. I did. I need every scientist I can find."
" Why, what's up?"
" I don't have this set in stone yet but I believe the entire planet
is like the Internet. But you can only access it if you are Na'vi.
This is your connection," she said holding up her queue. The end of it
slowly writhed as if it was alive on it's own. " I can't prove that
yet because I've never done any work into it yet but that has to be
how the Na'vi communicate across the planet and why they only have one
language with noticeable regional dialects."
" Well," Avant said, " thanks for dropping the bomb on me after I've
only been here for five minutes."
" You were never one to wait to get news. You always went in search of
it."
" Yeah. I guess I always did."
" Since they decanted your Avatar on the ISV, you can take it out in
half an hour. We have to input all your information into the computers
and links. I'll show you to your quarters in one moment. I'm going to
be back in about five minutes. But this time you should recognize me."
Avant walked around exploring on his own until he heard his name
called from behind. Grace was walking toward him, this time in her
right body. To him, she was a goddess. To others, the devil.
" How have you been Avant?" she asked as they walked along toward his
quarters and the Sci-Lab.
" Well," he answered, " I've been doing this and that. When the RDA
found me I was in Houston, Texas. I was working as a veterinarian near
your old house, which is still standing."
" Really? I thought they would have bulldozed it to put in some fancy
high rise. Oh, well. Not like I'm ever going back there."
" Where? To your old house?"
" No. I mean back to earth. Earth is screwed. It's only a matter of
time before it goes down the tubes. If you want, I can pull a couple
of strings and you can become a permanent part of my staff. You'll
have to live here but trust me, it's worth it. This place, this world,
is new. Undefiled. Pristine. Nothing can compare to it."
Just then a sentry gun fired in the direction of the fence. A large
black silhouette dropped off with a deafening death scream.
Avant just turned and looked at Grace.
" What?" she said. "That's what happens when you use machine guns on
them."